El Dorado Search & Rescue (ESARC) Organization | Meetings | Board of Directors The El Dorado Search & Rescue Council, or ESARC, is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to support the El Dorado County Sheriff's volunteer search and rescue team. ESARC fulfills its mission through: Fundraising Asset Management Advanced Training Equipment Special Projects Public Education TOP Organization ESARC's officers and board are all SAR volunteers. Each SAR unit is represented at ESARC by two representatives. These twelve representatives serve as ESARC's Board of Directors. SAR members who would like to focus on certain issues may form Focused Interest Groups. FIG members do research, discuss issues and advise the Board, but do not vote. ESARC is a non-profit (i.e., "501c(3)") corporation. TOP Meetings ESARC has a regular monthly meeting at 6:30 on the fourth Monday of every month at the ESARC Lodge in Cedar Grove. MAP . 2009 Board of Directors President:   Bill Adams Vice President:   Dave McCracken Secretary:   Bob Todd Treasurer:   Bianca Kroettinger VP Properties:   Cindy Honn TOP Fundraising    More information... ESARC holds one major fundraiser each year: Crab Feed (click for the 2009 flyer) - Our Annual Crab Feed is held at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds the second Saturday in January. Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting Andrea Henderson at (916) 220-9949. For more information, contact Linda Colombo. Read more information about the 2009 Crab Feed... ESARC also receives donations from: The people whom SAR has helped. Volunteers appreciate these gifts far beyond their mere dollar value. The public. Donations can be mailed to: El Dorado Search & Rescue PO Box 721 Placerville, CA 95667 Federal Tax ID (FEIN): 68-0097526 ESARC raises approximately $8,000 annually. All ESARC money goes to benefit Search and Rescue. No ESARC member receives a salary. TOP Asset Management ESARC, as a non-profit 501c(3) corporation, can acquire and hold SAR property without tax consequences. For example, when the Cedar Grove Community Center wanted to donate a building to SAR, the transfer went quickly and economically, thanks in part to ESARC's tax-exempt status. ESARC also provides a way for individuals and families to donate directly to SAR. Without ESARC the donations, which are often heartfelt "Thank You" gifts, would legally have to go to the County's general fund. TOP Training ESARC often pays for SAR volunteers to attend fee-based classes and seminars presented by other counties or other agencies. Some examples are: High and low angle rescue Avalanche awareness Man tracking Search management Swift water rescue Team building skills TOP Equipment ESARC owns much of the equipment that El Dorado Sheriff's SAR members use in the field. Examples are radios, GPS units, and even vehicles. ESARC acquires this equipment through donations or outright purchases. ESARC equipment decisions are usually sound ones, because the ESARC Board members who approve equipment today may be using it tomorrow. TOP Special Projects ESARC researches, develops and implements special projects at the request of the SAR units. These projects typically streamline operations or provide new equipment. For example, in 1998, ESARC formed project committees to: Streamline call-out procedures Design and deploy a base camp computer system Acquire the ESARC Lodge building in Cedar Grove Maintain the "Fort SAR" facility. TOP Public Education ESARC offers the Hug-A-Tree program, a wilderness survival presentation, throughout the community at no charge. Several hundred children annually view this hour-long presentation in local schools, Scout troops and churches. We also provide speakers and demonstrations for public service groups, churches and other organizations.